Thousands of pounds of money donated towards the cost of repairing Highbridge Town Clock will have to be returned in three months’ time unless the work goes ahead in the meantime.
Town Clerk Eileen Shaw revealed this week that donations of £2,340 have been received but that £2,000 would have to be returned if it is not spent by April.
Mrs Shaw also said that there was the “chance of significant funding for the clock” but declined to release further information on grounds of confidentiality.
She further explained that SDC was considering repairing the concrete but had no money for the workings of the clock itself.
It was proposed at Monday’s town council meeting by Cllr Clarke that the donations received would be held until April pending further discussions but at this point they would be returned if no further progress had been made.
On the suggestion of Cllr Gill the donor of the £2,000 will be approached to see if they will allow further time for the Jubilee Gardens and the future of the clock to be decided.
Cllr Morgan had earlier said it was ‘silly to replace the clock at the moment’ and Cllr Mansfield urged caution ‘until the development plans for the Market are known’.
Cllr Williams suggested that the Town Council had not discussed a replacement, only about repairs. ‘If we are to go further we need more discussion,’ he said.
